911 Communications Center

The Monroe County 9-1-1 Communications Center is a division of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. It is the primary Public Service Answering Point (PSAP) for Monroe County, Wisconsin. This means we are responsible for answering wireless and landline emergency calls for all police, fire and EMS services within the county. In addition to answering emergency calls, we answer non-emergency calls, dispatch responding units, and provide support for the responding units. Additionally, we are the designated Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) dispatch center for the county.

The Communications Center is located at the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. It is staffed by twelve full-time and five limited use telecommunicators providing 24-hour service, 365 days a year. The Communications Center is under the direct supervision of two telecommunicator supervisors.

On average, we handle approximately 77,000 calls a year; fifteen percent of those calls are emergency 9-1-1 calls.

THIN GOLD LINE FLAG

The Thin Gold Line represents the men and women who answer our calls when tragedy strikes. The dispatchers of our nation offer a calm voice with the promise of the help we need when times of crisis occur. The Thin Line will always stand as strong and united as the country they protect.

Our Mission

To enhance the quality of life of every person in Monroe County, Wisconsin, by receiving and processing 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls and by dispatching law enforcement, fire department, and emergency medical service units in a prompt, efficient, courteous, and professional manner, to help save lives, protect property, and assist the public thereby making Monroe County a safer community in which to live, work, and visit.

Agencies We Provide Services For

Police

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
Sparta Police Department
Tomah Police Department
Cashton Police Department
Kendall Marshal’s Office
Norwalk Police Department
Wilton Police Department
Monroe County Combined Tactical Unit (CTU)

Fire

Cashton Fire Department
Kendall Fire Department
Norwalk Fire Department
Oakdale Fire Department
Sparta Area Fire Protection District
Tomah Fire Department
Town of Lincoln Fire Department
Wilton Fire Department
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fire Department

EMS

First Responders

Cashton First Responders
Cataract First Responders
Norwalk First Responders
Tomah Area Medical Responders
Warrens First Responders

Other

Monroe County HAZMAT Team

Open Records Request

When to Call 9-1-1

9-1-1 should only be used in a life-threatening emergency. This would be any situation that requires immediate assistance from police, fire, or EMS.

Examples of When to Call 9-1-1

Heart attack, stroke, or other medical emergency
Fire
Crime in progress
Suspicious activity in progress
Motor vehicle accident

Examples of When Not To Call 9-1-1

When looking for information
Crime no longer in progress
Power Outage
To follow up on an incident that was already reported
Complaint of loud noise

What to Expect When Calling 9-1-1

The first thing you’ll be asked when calling 9-1-1 is "What is the location of your emergency". The location is the most important piece of information you can provide. If we don’t know where you are, we can’t send help. After the location is obtained, you will be asked questions pertaining to what is going on. Please be patient with the call-taker and answer all the questions. Answering questions will not delay the response. It will provide responding units with necessary information to respond to the call.

What Should You Do If You Dial 9-1-1 by Accident?

If you dial 9-1-1 by accident it is very important that you stay on the line. Let the call-taker know that the call was made by accident and confirm that there is no emergency.

When a 9-1-1 caller hangs up, we have to assume that there is something wrong and we will take steps to attempt to determine who the phone belongs to and where the call came from. Once this information is obtained, it will be provided to an officer and they may respond to confirm everything is okay. This will tie up resources not only in the communications center but also officers on the road.

Non-Emergency Phone Numbers

You can reach the non-emergency line for the police at the following numbers:

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at (608) 269-2117.
Sparta Police Department at (608) 269-3122.
Tomah Police Department at (608) 374-7400.

When calling a police department or the sheriff’s office during regular business hours, the call may go to their administrative staff. If it is determined that you will need to speak to an officer, the call will be transferred to the communications center so you can be put in contact with an officer either over the phone or in person. If you’re calling outside of regular business hours, a call to the non-emergency line will come directly into the communications center.

What Does a Dispatcher Do?

Telecommunicators, also known as 911 Dispatchers, play an important role in emergency and non-emergency response in communities across the US. In Monroe County, Telecommunicators dispatch for 23 Police, Fire and EMS agencies. They handle approximately 80,000 calls annually; 11,000 of those calls are 911 emergencies. Dispatching can be very stressful at times but is also highly rewarding. Telecommunicators gather critical information from callers and send appropriate resources as quickly and efficiently as possible. One of the most important attributes of a dispatcher is the ability to multi-task, such as answering a 911 call, monitoring radio traffic and paging out emergency personnel at the same time, all while entering information into a computer. Other important attributes include active listening skills, compassion, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm under stressful conditions.

If you are interested in a career as a public safety telecommunicator, please visit the Monroe County Human Resources page for more information.

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